14 Ancient Sports That Were Just Plain Weird
Ancient civilizations had their own unique ways of entertainment and competition. While modern sports focus on fair play and safety regulations, our ancestors had decidedly different priorities when it came to athletic pursuits.
Many ancient sports combined religious rituals, military training, and entertainment in ways that would make today’s sports commissioners faint. Here is a list of 14 ancient sports that were genuinely bizarre by modern standards.
Pitz
The Mayans took their ball games seriously—deadly seriously. Players used their hips and forearms to knock a solid rubber ball through stone hoops mounted on walls. The catch? The losing team’s captain (or sometimes the entire team) might face sacrifice after the game. It’s like modern athletes complaining about post-game press conferences not knowing how good they have it.
Naumachia
Romans didn’t settle for simple swimming competitions. Instead, they flooded entire arenas or dug massive basins to stage full naval battles with condemned prisoners and criminals as the combatants. These mock sea battles often resulted in thousands of deaths for the entertainment of Roman citizens. Talk about extreme water sports.
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Venatio
Matching hunters with exotic wild animals acquired from all around the empire was another Roman amusement. Specialized fighters known as “bestiarii” frequently participated in these organized hunts, developing strategies for dealing with anything from lions to hippopotamuses. With thousands of animals killed in a single event, the animals seldom ever had a chance to fight.
Fisherman’s Joust
Teams of fishermen used long poles to try to knock one another from their papyrus boats in ancient Egypt. These contests, in which competitors ran the risk of drowning or encountering local crocodiles, were held in the marshy waters of the Nile. With much bigger stakes, it blended aspects of contemporary jousting and water polo.
Bo-Taoshi
Two teams of 150 individuals each competed in this archaic Japanese sport by trying to topple a wooden pole that the other team was defending. A single player, referred to as the “ninja,” stood on the pole, with teammates below forming human shields. As attackers practically climbed over defenders, accidents were frequent because there were hardly any rules limiting contact.
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Pelota Purépecha
This pre-Hispanic Mexican sport involved a wooden ball soaked in flammable pine resin that was lit on fire before the play began. Players used wooden sticks to hit this flaming projectile toward the opposing team’s goal. Despite handling what was essentially a fireball moving at high speeds, players wore minimal protection.
Buzkashi
Central Asian nomadic tribes developed this sport where mounted players competed to grab a goat or calf carcass and drag it to a scoring circle. Games could span several days across miles of open terrain with hundreds of riders participating. Modern versions still exist, though with slightly more rules than the original free-for-all format.
Mesoamerican Handball
Similar to Pitz but played with the hands, this sport required players to keep a rubber ball in motion using only their palms. The solid rubber ball could cause serious injuries on impact, occasionally resulting in broken bones or internal injuries. Players wrapped their hands in thick cloth for minimal protection.
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Lelo Burti
This Georgian game resembled a chaotic blend of rugby and wrestling with entire villages competing against each other. Two communities would fight to carry a heavy ball back to their village, with virtually no rules restricting how they could accomplish this. Games often resulted in serious injuries as hundreds of participants clashed in the muddy battlefield between villages.
Episkyros
The ancient Greeks played this team sport, which allowed players to use their hands, feet, and considerable physical force against opponents. Teams would attempt to force their opponents behind their own goal line through any means necessary. The sport was so rough that military leaders considered it excellent training for warfare.
Tejo
Indigenous peoples in what is now Colombia developed this explosive sport. It involved throwing metal discs at clay targets filled with gunpowder. A successful hit caused a loud explosion, awarding points to the thrower. It combined elements of horseshoes and target shooting with the added thrill of controlled explosions.
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Harpastum
This Roman ball game involved keeping possession of a small hard ball while the opposing team used any means necessary to take it away. With minimal rules governing fair play, matches often devolved into what looked more like coordinated brawls than organized sports. The military adopted it as training for soldiers.
Knattleikr
Viking sagas describe this ball game played with a hard ball and wooden sticks where serious injuries and even deaths were common occurrences. Rules were minimal, and players frequently settled personal grudges during matches. Games could last for days and sometimes ended in armed conflicts between participating families.
Pankration
Perhaps the most extreme Olympic sport of ancient Greece, this combination of boxing and wrestling allowed almost any technique except biting and eye-gouging. Competitors fought until one signaled defeat or lost consciousness. Some historical accounts mention fighters continuing despite broken limbs rather than conceding defeat.
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The Enduring Legacy of Ancient Athletics
These ancient sports reveal much about the cultures that created them—their values, religious beliefs, and approaches to physical prowess. While modern sports emphasize safety regulations and fair competition, these historical activities embraced risk, spectacle, and often violence as central features.
Our ancestors approached athletics with a certain raw authenticity that, while dangerous, demonstrated their remarkable physical capabilities and cultural priorities.
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